Daughter of Mithrandir
by AscendingRain
Summary: Gandalf finds a girl being beaten in Minas Tirith and takes her to a House of Healing. After Adariel is healed, Gandalf leaves the city, but she tags along. He leaves her in Lothlorien when he has to go on his journeys, but promises to visit.
1. Chapter 1

Daughter of Mithrandir

Disclaimer: I do not own Middle Earth or Gandalf. Adariel and her uncle are my own creations.

**Chapter 1**

The mid-morning sun shone down on the White City of Minas Tirith as a crowd of people mulled through its streets and went about their daily business. Some were on errands for family or masters. Some were travelling to their place of work. Others were on their way to the stables to leave the city, for whatever reason. These included a young girl of six-years who was running desperately through the cobble-stoned street to escape.

She darted and pushed her way through the crowd, tangled black hair following behind as she ran. The girl was as a mouse dashing and zigzagging to evade a cat. For, like the mouse, she was being pursued, though her pursuer was meant to protect her. A task at which he failed miserably.

Adariel was an orphan and lived with her uncle, an alcoholic and a gambler. He had been drinking the night before and had lost much of his money dicing. Every other night he would come home drunk and in a foul mood, having lost much coin. Uncle would accuse her for thieveries she did not commit and proceed to beat her in 'punishment.' But no more. This time she would escape him and leave Minas Tirith. The young girl planned to run into the countryside and live on a farm. It did not matter to her that she was only six. She would escape Uncle's beatings once and for all.

As she ran, the young girl looked behind her. Adariel could see her uncle in close pursuit. She ran faster, though the crowd slowed the small girl. Yet the crowd also worked to her favour, for her uncle was large and could not move through the crowd as quickly. The wiry girl was tiring fast, though, and she knew she would be caught soon. Desperate, the child slipped into an alley and crouched in a doorway.

From her hiding place, the child could see Uncle slow. He had lost sight of her and walked up to a woman. He made gestures showing her size and spoke to her, probably asking whether she had seen Adariel. He wore a mask of worry that hid his true purpose and the woman pointed down the alley. He bowed his head and ran towards the alley. The child knew it was too late for her to try to run away. The alley ended in a brick wall and he would catch her if she ran out the way she had come in. The girl offered up a prayer to Eru that she might somehow escape her uncle.

She watched as he looked in each doorway and behind the rubbish bins. As he drew nearer, fear gripped Adariel's heart. Usually he only gave her a couple bruises but today she feared she would not be so lucky; he looked wrathful. She let out a whimper of fear and he walked to the doorway. She pressed herself into the shadowed corner, hoping that if she thought she was smaller, he would not see her. Uncle looked at her small shape huddled in the entranceway and said softly, "Come on out, my sweet," but she could hear the edge of deceit in his voice. The small girl stayed put, paralyzed with fear.

Enraged, her uncle grabbed the collar of her dress and lifted her high with one hand. Through his teeth he growled, "You ungrateful wretch!" and threw her down. The child let out a cry as she met the hard cobblestones. He came up to her menacingly, seeming to tower over her. He kicked her against the wall, knocking the air from her lungs. Adariel collapsed, leaning against the side of the alley.

Her uncle no longer sought any justification or excuses and proceeded to pound her. She cried out as his fists flew at her. She had no hope left. With every blow, she knew that she would never escape Uncle.

Then, just as hope was leaving her, Adariel saw an old man clothed in grey walking down the street. With his long, white beard, pointed hat and staff, he might have appeared frightening. Though he inspired no fear in the child. He seemed to come with a torch of hope, glowing like the dawn, in her hour of need. Afraid he might pass by, she screamed through a broken lip, "Mithrandir! Mithrandir!" though she knew not what brought her to say the strange words.

The old man turned upon hearing her voice and peered down the alley. He saw her uncle crouched over her, pounding her with his fists. A fire ignited in his eyes and he carried an air of anger about him. He walked up to Adariel's uncle and tapped him on the back with the bottom of his staff.

As her uncle ceased his blows, she saw him turn slowly to look up at the old man who had an air of disgust. Uncle's last blow had been to the head and darkness was beginning to gather at the edges of the girl's vision. She was able only to see the wizened man, towering over her uncle, raise his staff and say something that she could not hear, for her ears were ringing from being boxed. Then darkness enveloped Adariel as she lost consciousness.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Adariel could hear people talking and the sound of footsteps. The girl was aware that she was on a soft mattress. Touching the sheets that covered her body, she found they were softer than the ones at home. The air smelled clean and faintly like herbs but her home smelled musty. _Where am I?_ She faintly remembered someone lowering her onto the bed. Curiosity told her to look about her. A panic came over her when she tried to open her eyes but could not. _Am I blind?_ Then she remembered that Uncle had beaten her again. The small girl tried to move but was met with protests from her bruised body. The injured child let out a moan and returned to her former position.

She heard a man's voice that she did not know telling her to be still. For some reason, it brought back the memory of her escape attempt and her mad run through the streets. She whimpered as she remembered Uncle's blows and his blind fury.

"Shh," the voice whispered softly.

Adariel remembered the old man who had saved her from Uncle. While she had lain unconscious, his face had run through her mind. Wanting to thank him, she wished she would get better so she could find him again. She did not want to return to her uncle's care. Hoping she would be able to find the old man, the girl prayed that he would not make her go back to Uncle. She then fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

Gandalf looked down at the young girl lying on the bed. Her face was swollen and turning purple despite the salves that the healers had applied. She had a broken rib but no other bones were fractured. Anyone who would harm an innocent child disgusted him; he would not allow her to go back to that vile man.

When the child had called out to him, the only thing he could have done was to help her. After having a word with the man, he had run away like the coward he was. No, he could not leave her with that man, but neither could the wizard bring her with him. He was too busy to have a child tagging after him. She would only be a distraction, and besides, he knew next to nothing of raising a child. He would have to find her a good family here in Minas Tirith, one that would not beat her half to death.

After the man had run away, he had walked over to the poor thing and checked her condition. Then he had carried her to the nearest house of healing, where they both currently were. He had come and gone throughout the day, alternating between checking on the girl and his task. As he looked down at the sleeping child, he felt for her and whispered a small blessing, wishing for her to get well. He saw her stir slightly and, as she tried to move, heard a small moan.

"Be still," he said softly to her. She was not ready to move and needed to rest. A few moments later, he heard a small whimper from her direction. "Shh…" he whispered and she sunk back into the bed with a sigh, her only movement the rising and falling of her breath.

This was taking too much time. He had to go see Aragorn about the hunt for Gollum soon. The wizard did not know how long it would take to meet up with the ranger; all he knew was that he was somewhere in Rhovanion. Gandalf also had to visit Frodo sometime. It had been almost a year since he had last visited the Shire and he meant to keep an eye on things there. Dark times were drawing near and he had more than a suspicion that Bilbo's ring might be more dangerous than he had originally thought. The old man was growing tired of all these worrisome thoughts though he knew that they would only pile up more in the years ahead.

Looking out the window, Mithrandir realized that it was growing late, for the first stars were appearing. He would leave soon and return tomorrow to check on the girl. Hopefully she would be able to talk tomorrow. Talking with children usually lightens the heart, though she might not feel like telling him stories that would make him smile or even laugh. Blowing out the candles on the bedside table, he rose and left the room silently, so as not to disturb the child.

* * *

"Honey, wake up, you have to eat something if you want to get better," a soft female voice said somewhere above the girl. Waking up from a dreamless sleep, Adariel could smell vegetable broth and fresh bread mixed with the constant herbal scents of the house of healing. She tried to open her eyes once again and was startled to be able to open them a crack. The light flooding into her pupils made her close it again for a couple seconds before attempting to look around. Once the world around her came as well into focus as was possible through the slits she could open her eyes, she looked at the face of the healer's apprentice.

She was a young woman with wisps of brown hair falling out of the braid going down her back. Her soft hazel eyes were set in a tanned face with rosebud lips but a slightly hooked nose that made her look pretty rather than beautiful. She wore a half smile upon her face as she told Adariel how glad she was to see her awake and helped her to sit up. The child winced as her bruised rib cage and broken bone complained but was surprised that the pain was not worse. Though she did not remember it at the time, but the healers possessed herbs to take away the pain temporarily and had used some of these on her.

"You took quite a bruising there. But not to worry, we'll have you running with the other children in no time. Now you need to drink your soup. Can you lift the spoon?" Adariel nodded and took the spoon. Her arms had mostly escaped Uncle's rough punishment as he had aimed more for her face and upper body than her limbs. As she slowly raised the spoon to her lips, the child realized just how hungry she was and shoved it unceremoniously into her mouth. She was delighted to find that the soup was a thick and warm broth. She ate the rest quickly while the apprentice tidied the room and talked to her in a voice that was more suited to an infant. Adariel would have normally rolled her eyes, she was six! But she was too happy to be embarrassed. The soup was too good!

When the soup dwindled to a small pool at the bottom, Adariel lifted the bowl to her lips and drank the rest, tilting her head back slightly as she gulped it all down. Placing the now empty bowl on the table beside her bed, she smiled and belched contentedly. The apprentice had left to attend to another patient when she saw that Adariel could drink the soup by herself. Looking out the window on her right, she could see a couple of domed roofs peeking over the vine covered wall. Everything was white as usual, but there was a small herb garden just outside the room that explained the particularly strong scents, even for a house of healing. In the room were two other beds, though both were unoccupied with their stained grey blankets folded neatly over the white sheets. The child sighed, stomach full and contented, bruises numbed by pain-relieving potions. Lying back down she closed her eyes for a short nap.

* * *

Gandalf opened the door to the room quietly so as not to awaken the girl. Stepping through the doorframe, his gaze fell immediately upon the only occupied bed. A young girl with a bruised face was sitting in it, staring out the window as the daylight faded. When he cleared his throat, she snapped back to this world and stared at him with a slightly startled expression that looked almost comical with her swollen eye. She smiled when she recognized him and said quietly, "Hullo," though her voice cracked from misuse.

"Well, it's good to see you awake, I have heard that you are healing up nicely," he said, skipping the greeting. He smiled to see that the swelling had gone down though she still sported two black eyes. It didn't seem to be causing her any pain at the moment though it was probably at least partly because of the pain-numbing herbs the healers gave her. No child should go through such ordeals.

"Well I don't hurt as much and the healers are really nice," she said sloppily around her swollen lip and bruised face. Her face lighted up as if she remembered something and said excitedly, "Thank you for saving me." Looking slightly puzzled for a moment, she asked, "Do you know what the words I cried out were? I remember saying something but not what I said."

Gandalf thought back a couple days before when he heard her cry out his name here in Gondor. Had she really not known his name and called it out anyways? "You caught my attention by crying out my name, Mithrandir. Have you heard it before?"

"No, but I think that's what I said. I don't know where I'd have heard it before. It just came out of my mouth."

"Well the important thing is that you are healing. How are you feeling?" he asked as he walked over to the wooden chair beside her bed and sat down.

"I'm alright. The healers make me drink something so it doesn't hurt. They're nice and all, but I want to go outside," she paused and added, "At least Uncle can't get me here."

Guessing this 'Uncle' was the one who had beaten her; he stayed quiet for a few moments. This was not the sort of topic you pursued unless necessary. When she didn't say anything more, he opened his mouth to change the topic, but closed it when she added, "That was the worst he's ever hurt me. Mithrandir, he may be the only family I've got, but you can't make me go back to him!"

"I have no intention whatsoever of placing you back in his care. Not after I had to carry you here unconscious. Don't worry; you will not have to see him again."

Her face lit up as she exclaimed, "Really?" He nodded and a smile of utmost joy spread across her face around the bruises before she winced and stopped smiling. They sat there in silence for a few moments, both looking at the window. The quiet was broken when the child said, "My name's Adariel."

"Well, it is nice to meet you Adariel. It's getting late. You had best get to sleep."

Mithrandir rose to fix her pillow as she lay down. The healer's apprentice had come in to light the candles while they were talking. The old man blew a few out so the girl could get to sleep easier but when he turned back to her, however, her eyes were already closed and she was breathing slowly. On his way out he shut the door just a crack and smiled at the sight of the child sleeping there so peacefully. Such reminders of the innocence in the world were always refreshing to the weary soul of the Grey Pilgrim.

* * *

Thanks for all the reviews! I have finally finished this chapter. More soon hopefully! 


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Adariel waited impatiently over the next several days for her bruises and broken rib to heal. Itching to go outside and play, as any other child of six, she sulked all day and stared out the window gloomily most of the time. This glumness was broken only by Mithrandir's daily visits. Some days he came in the morning while others he came at night but Adariel could always be sure that he would come. On his visits they talked about many things. The old man would tell her entertaining stories about faraway lands and she would tell her own stories about her friends and the mischief they would get into. Sometimes they talked about where Adariel wanted to live and with what kind of family. These conversations usually ended in silence on the girl's part.

One day, after such a conversation and awkward silence, Adariel told Mithrandir about her mother. Her mum had been a weaver and made beautiful tapestries and cloth. The girl talked about how she remembered watching her mum hum to the rhythm of the loom as she wove the string in and out and raised the shuttle up and down. This had been her mum's talent though she could never cook very well – she always burned anything she put on the stove.

"But Mum never talked about Papa. He had disappeared or died before I could crawl. I don't even know his name. My mum never told me," she continued. The girl felt comfortable talking to this man though he also intimidated her in that he seemed so very old and wise. She hadn't told this story to very many people though most knew that her mother had died and had been placed in the care of her uncle.

"My mum started to get sick so she couldn't weave anymore. We could have gone to the healers but Mum was sure it would pass. Only it didn't. It got worse and worse until she died," Adariel shuddered as she said this. The memory of her mother's death was a blur but she remembered crying a lot never coming outside for a long time. She didn't even see her mum's funeral. After Uncle had claimed her she had been beaten when she wouldn't stop crying at night and sobbed herself to sleep after he left for the tavern.

"Uncle was my mum's brother and the only one in left in our family. He claimed me, but he goes away all night and comes back all angry and smelly. I only lived with him for a year but I really don't want to go back to him," Adariel trailed off and looked up at Mithrandir. He had said that he would find her a nice home before he left, but she wanted to stay with him. He would never let anyone like Uncle hurt her ever again, he had been the one who rescued her after all.

"I have been looking for a good, kind family for you to go to. I have to leave tomorrow but you are just about healed and I think that you will be able to go to a new home tonight – one where no one will harm you," Mithrandir said reassuringly. Adariel wasn't comforted though, she did not want to go and live with strangers and she would still be in the city. Who knows if Uncle would find her and hurt her again, maybe even kill her? And there would be no old man with a staff to save her. She just nodded though; grown-ups always thought they were right and didn't like it when children contradicted them.

* * *

Gandalf led the girl through the streets of the White City as its walls reflected the glow of the setting sun. Shadows were growing longer in the corners and allies, casting shapes that might scare young children but that adults pass by without a glance. Gandalf held his staff in one hand and the child followed behind, clutching his other one. He was taking her to a couple with a girl just a couple years older than Adariel – he forgot her name now – but she seemed to be similar in disposition to a friend that this girl had described while she was healing. The parents were respectable citizens that had much kindness in their hearts and they had enough money to look after another child's needs.

He just hoped the girl would take to the family so he could return to his task without worry. He couldn't have any distractions for the shadow was already growing. Mithrandir just wished he knew the answers to his questions. Well, if Aragorn finds Gollum soon, he might have a few; or he might end up with more questions. Looking to the girl, he smiled. She would start a new life tomorrow and grow up in a caring family that would help her to rise to all she could be. Still, he felt a little depressed at the thought of not seeing Adariel again. Had he really become attached to this child in such a short time? Gandalf almost wished that he could take this child with him, but he knew that he could not offer her what this family could; he could not give her roots. For he was the Grey Pilgrim and not tied to any one place in all of Middle-Earth.

At last they reached the home of Adariel's new family. Like the rest of the city, the walls were made of white stone, but the door was wooden and painted green to match the window boxes on either side of it. The house was attached to other houses on either side and was built up to a height of two stories. In the windows, it could be seen that the lamps had already been lit for the night and a soft glow spilled out onto the street. As Mithrandir stepped into the pool of light just before the door, he knocked on the door using the bottom end of his staff. The girl and the old man waited just a moment before the door was opened by a plump woman with dark brown curls pulled back into a loose braid. Her round face bore a wide grin at the sight of the girl and her hazel eyes seemed to light up with joy as she welcomed them both through the door.

"Hello, this must Adariel, the girl we've heard so much about! My little girl, Saereth, has been so anxious to meet her new little sister. Come, sit, we're just cleaning up the dinner. I'll be with you in a second," the woman said quickly. She clearly was excited to meet her adoptive daughter. Gandalf led Adariel over to the chairs by the fireplace; he realized she had been squeezing his hand ever since the door had opened and had not relieved the pressure by much until she sat across from him and transferred her grip to the chair's arm. Her face was still bruised, but the swelling had come down a lot, though the black eyes would take more time to heal. Her lip was tight and drawn into a stubborn line; a defiant look shone in the girl's dark eyes.

"These are good people, Adariel. They will take care of you and treat you like their own daughter. You know I wouldn't leave you with anyone that would harm you," he said, trying to comfort the girl. He knew that it would take time to adjust to the rhythms of this family's day to day life but she would end up much happier with them than with that uncle of hers or if he were to take her with him on his long journeys. But like any transition or change, this would take some time for the girl to adjust to. She remained silent and did not reply to his attempt to reassure her.

The woman, he remembered her name being Idhreniel from their past meeting, entered the room, drying her hands on her apron. She was followed by her daughter, a miniature and slimmer version of her mother, and a man who could only be her husband. He was a man of average height for the men of Minas Tirith, but was slightly stocky and had a lighter shade of brown hair than his wife and child. The girl, Saereth, was taller than Adariel by a few inches and wore a simple light blue dress that matched the colour of the robe the doll in her right hand wore. The man, he had introduced himself as Innas wore a plain red tunic and brown breeches as well as a friendly smile on his face.

Innas spoke first, "Hello, Mithrandir, I see you have brought us the young girl that is to become our adoptive daughter. Hello child, I am Innas and this is my wife Idhreniel, but I hope that, with time, you will come to call us Father and Mother. This is our daughter, Saereth. I hope you two will become fast friends."

Adariel didn't speak at first until Gandalf nudged her foot slightly. "I'm honoured that you'd take me into your house," she stopped without saying anything more and the old man knew that he wouldn't be able to get anymore out of her for now so he broke the silence with, "She is rather shy at first, but she'll have many stories to tell once she gets to know you."

"Will you stay for some tea while we discuss her future and she gets to know Saereth?" Idhreniel requested.

"I'm sorry, I really hate to give up a cup of tea, but I must be heading out early tomorrow morning. We have already discussed everything that needs be discussed," he said as he rose to go, "I already know that Adariel is in good hands." He did still have to pack his things and get supplies for the journey north to Rhovanion to meet with Aragorn and he would have to stop in Lothlórien for more supplies. At least he would not be distracted by worrying about a girl without a home or a roof over her head. In fact, he would have preferred to leave earlier, but he could not just leave her to be picked up from the House of Healing by her abusive uncle again. It would not sit well with him if he knew he had needlessly abandoned a child to a life like that.

"Wait!" Adariel said as he donned his hat once more and started towards the door, "May I say good-bye?" she asked, looking from the family to Mithrandir frantically. When Idhreniel nodded, Adariel ran up to him and gave him a hug; he had seen tears in her eyes as she had approached him. He quickly hugged her back in comfort before kneeling down to her level and saying, "Do not cry, Adariel. This family will take care of you and help you to become all you can be. Our paths cannot cross but for a brief time and we would have to say goodbye sooner or later. Give this family a chance."

"I don't want you to go. Why can't you stay? Why can't I follow you?" she said, wiping away tears.

"You already know that goodbyes are hard, but all whom you say goodbye to will never forget you as you can never forget them. Now, will you at least try to find a place in this family?" She nodded, wiping away tears.

"Now, I must go see to other things," he said as he pulled himself up with his staff, "Take care. Farewell." He nodded, getting one last look at Adariel before he turned and walked out the door. Gandalf knew the girl was in good hands and that this family would take care of her. Turning his mind to the journey ahead of him, he walked down the street and around the corner until Adariel's house was no longer in sight.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Have you had anything to eat, Adariel?" Idhreniel asked a few minutes after Gandalf had left. The little girl nodded in reply even though she hadn't eaten much more than a slice of bread. She wasn't hungry, only sad and angry. Why had he left her behind? Why could he not have taken her with him? Adariel did not want to live here, with this family. She would much rather stay with Mithrandir.

"I'm tired. Where can I sleep?" Adariel asked. Innas opened his mouth as if to say something but closed it again before telling Saereth to show her new sister to her bed. Adariel followed the older girl quietly up the stairs, not paying attention to her surroundings. As Saereth opened the door to the room, she said something about sharing it with her and that she was not to touch any of her things. The younger girl barely registered her words and sighed as she looked around the room she had just stepped into.

There were two beds with a table and an open window between them. Adariel walked over to the bed she had been told was hers and placed the two pairs of clothes the healer's apprentice had given her on the pillow and moved toward the window. As she looked at the street illumined by the lights of the houses on either side of the street, the black-haired girl remembered that the old man had stopped at the stable on the way to her new house. He had been telling the head groom that he would be leaving in a hurry the next morning and so to have his tack put out. By the time Saereth had left, Adariel was grinning as she climbed into bed. The child had a plan.

* * *

Adariel was awoken by the quiet snoring of someone to her left. Remembering that she was no longer in the House of Healing, she guessed that person was Saereth. She also remembered the plan she had made just before falling asleep. Quietly, she climbed out of bed and looked out the window to see whether the lights were still on downstairs. The street was illuminated only by a solitary lamp up the street a little ways. Adariel knew she would have to be very quiet if this was to work, fortunately she had learned how to be quiet when she had been avoiding the wrath of Uncle after he came home drunk each night.

Tying her bed sheet to her blanket, she soon realized that her makeshift rope would not be long enough to reach the bottom without falling. She would have to do this the hard way; by walking downstairs and out the door or through a window. Both ways would make noise that could wake anyone if they were light sleepers. Thinking about the family that had agreed to take them in, she remembered that her leaving would hurt their feelings. If Adariel had known how to write, she would have left a note, but seeing as she could not, she just whispered goodbye and her apology into Saereth's ear, hoping that would be enough. She would not risk going into the room of Innas and Idhreniel for fear of awakening them.

She opened the door slowly – grateful it wasn't creaky – stepped through and closed it behind her partway. So far so good, at least she hadn't woken the other girl. Turning to face the stairs, she tiptoed down, testing for creaks in the wood. When she found a step that was creaky, she would stop for a few second to listen for any noise and then continue, passing over that stair quickly. It felt like an eternity going down those stairs. The distance from the stairs to the door was covered with woven rugs that slightly muffled her footsteps. She stopped when she heard a sound above her and stood stock still for a few minutes, holding her breath. Adariel heard it once more, but that was the last time. She let out the breath she had been holding and continued towards the door, pausing only to slip on her simple leather shoes before leaving the house. Desperately she hoped the door did not have a lock.

When she reached the door, she slowly put her hand out and touched the door knob with her finger tips. Inhaling deeply, Adariel grasped the handle more firmly and turned it, the noise sounding thunderous to her ears in contrast to the silence. She opened the door a crack and listened for any noise. When she heard a soft thud above her, the girl opened the door quickly, afraid she might have woken Idhreniel or Innas, and scurried over the threshold, barely remembering to close the door behind her before she broke out into a run down the street.

Her heart was pounding in her ears as she ran, keeping to the shadows. The girl's knuckles were white from clutching her bundle of clothes to her chest. Adariel ran with fear behind her, whipping her to move faster, pushing her to cover more ground. Her black, tangled hair trailed behind as she darted around corners, taking back routes where possible as she headed towards the gate to the next lower level of the White City, where the stables were kept.

When she got to the gate, she waited until the guards patrolling above it had passed on to another part of the wall for that level and stole through the shadows of the open archway. The inner gates would only be closed in times of emergency though the gate to the highest level was closed every night as well as the city's entrance. She ran the rest of the way to the stable they had passed, though it was getting harder to breathe as she tired. At least the road was downhill.

When she reached the stable, she used vines to climb the wall of one of the few horse pens they could cram into the city. When Adariel reached the top of the wall, she sat on it for just a moment before falling into the hay-pile just below. Though the hay helped to soften her landing, it still jarred her already bruised body and the child barely kept herself from crying out loudly. She would have paused for awhile longer but the two horses in the pen were coming over to see what was in their food. Rolling off the hay, the girl approached the barn while looking for an opening. Unable to find one, Adariel curled up into a corner of the pen to wait out the night and hope the horses wouldn't trample her or give away her hiding place. Exhausted, the child soon fell asleep in the shadowed corner, listening to the sighs of horses.

* * *

A shrill whistle woke the girl from her slumber. Opening her eyes to the pale grey sky of dawn, she looked around to see what the noise was. Peering around the water trough, she saw the groom they had met the day before, standing in the barn door with a lead shank and halter. He was dressed in some simple breeches and a loose beige shirt. It took one more whistle for the horses in the pen to come to him. Adariel did not know why he did not just go out and get the horses, but was more concerned with whether he had seen her. She had to get into the barn so she could know when Mithrandir was there and decided that, as soon as the groom had gotten the other horse, she would go through that door and hide in a stall.

The stable hand returned soon after he had taken the first horse and was quicker in catching the second. Adariel had only needed to wait a few minutes before she could go through the door. After crossing the pen and reaching the barn door, the little girl peeked inside and saw three hands mulling about, working on the morning chores of mucking stalls and feeding horses. This seemed to be one of the smaller stables in the city. When two of the grooms disappeared into a room that seemed to be the feed room, and the third was mucking out a stall, she ducked into the stall with a horse munching away contentedly. The hand in the nearby stall looked up when he heard the door open but went back to his task, shaking his head as if his ears were playing tricks on him.

Turning to face the stall's interior, Adariel noticed the horse in the stall was one of the two the girl had spent the night with. The mare had stopped munching on her grain to look at her but returned to her feed when she realized it was only the girl that had slept in her pen. The child decided that the best place to hide for now would be under the feed bucket hanging from the stall wall. Because of the placement of the bucket, no one would see her unless they actually entered the stall, though she was somewhat afraid of being so close to the horse's hooves. The girl just hoped that no one would enter the stall until Mithrandir came, but just in case, she started to make up stories to tell her discoverer, should she be found out.

She waited there for what seemed like half an hour without anyone coming to check on the horse, even after the mare had finished eating her grain. As the girl waited in hiding, the beating of her heart was louder than the snorts of the horses and the sounds of the morning stable chores. At last a saddle and bridle were placed over the stall door, followed a few minutes later by a pair of empty saddlebags. After what seemed like an eternity of anxious waiting, dreading and hoping for the sound, she heard his voice drifting over the sounds of the stable.

"Thank you for your service. Have this as a token for taking such good care of this mare that has borne me over long distances. I will call you if I require your further services, but I plan to leave here without incident," the unmistakable voice said. Mithrandir had come.

Adariel held her breath as the latch was lifted and the door opened, the old man muttering softly to the horse. The child watched as he walked up to the horse and patted her smooth chestnut coat, whispering to the horse in a language that sounded like the Sindarin she heard some grown-ups speak. She guessed that the mare's name was Lotheg, for it was repeated many times. As he spoke to his horse, his back had been turned to her, but when he turned away from the animal, he saw the girl almost immediately. Fear gripped her as she saw his face go from kind and warm to stern and unreadable. She suddenly felt like shrinking to the size of a mouse and crawling down a hole, where he could not find her. What stung even more was when he said in a quiet, stony voice, "What are you doing here?" Now she wanted to be a fly, a tiny insignificant fly.

She didn't reply, but the silence weighed heavily on her and she did not raise her head to look at his eyes, afraid of what she might see. He wouldn't take her with him; she would live in Minas Tirith with Saereth and her family and never see him again. Mithrandir would leave her behind. _But... _The voice that had ruled her mind over the past night grew again, though it had been squashed temporarily by the tension in the air and the tone of his voice. She would not let him leave her behind.

"Well?" the old man asked. He would not just give in and take her along with him. He was, after all, the one that had arranged for her to live with Idhreniel and Innas. Adariel opened her mouth but changed her mind twice before settling on what to tell him. She sat there silent for a little while longer, trying to think of a story to tell him, but she couldn't stand the tension any longer.

"I-I-, I want you to take me with you!" she burst out, standing up; "I don't want you to leave me behind! Idhreniel and Innas are nice and all, but I want to go with you!" Adariel wasn't sure if he would take her with him, but she desperately prayed that he would allow her to follow him. He couldn't leave her behind, he couldn't.

For a few moments they stood there in the stall, the wizard looking at the little girl before him and the girl looking at her feet, holding back the tears that would flow any second now. Mithrandir turned back to the horse and grabbed a brush from the bucket he had brought in. As he brushed the horse quickly, he asked Adariel why she wanted to follow him. She just stood there silently before grabbing a brush and starting on the other side of the horse, copying the old man's brisk strokes, though her motions were slower. As she developed a rhythm to her brushing, she opened her mouth several times, trying to say something but then closing it. At last she said, "You have been so nice to me and I don't want you to leave me behind."

"The road is hard to travel and you wouldn't have a lot of things that you are used to. It is dangerous to travel so far and although I would protect you, you would have to listen to me, which you have failed to do so far. I told you to stay with that family."

"I don't care about the danger. I'll do whatever you tell me to do. I promise. Just let me come."

"I'm very busy and I cannot have a little girl slowing me down."

They were silent once again. Adariel realized that Mithrandir had finished his side of Lotheg and was watching her as she finished the horse's back legs. He started to brush the places that an eight-year-old girl could not reach and when they were both done he told her to stand in the corner while he picked out the mare's hooves. The girl obeyed. She could be obedient.

When Mithrandir had finished with the horse's feet, he walked over to the stall door and grabbed the saddle. He lifted it over the Lotheg's back and slid it backwards into place, telling Adariel that he did this because the hair had to lie flat. Otherwise it would bother the horse. The girl watched with fascination as he did up the mare's girth without her trying to bite him. She had heard from a few of her friends who's father's worked with horses that most mares disliked having the strap done up under their bellies and were not shy about showing it. Ardithen's father had worn a bandage over his arm when a mare bit him one day.

"Would you help me pack these saddle bags?" Mithrandir asked. Adariel replied and walked over to the door, where he had put a few satchels and packets. Following his directions silently as he told her which packet went where, she began to forget her doubts of not being able to go, becoming absorbed in her task and trying to prove herself to him by following his instructions.

At last, when all the packets and satchels were in the saddlebags, Mithrandir said, "You know, I can't afford to be slowed by a young girl such as yourself." The doubt returned and her spirits sunk back down to her feet as he said this. It seemed he would not take her with him after all. So absorbed was she with her disappointment at not being able to come that she almost didn't hear his words when he continued, "But I think I am missing one more thing in these bags. Could you get me that little parcel in the corner?"

Confused, Adariel followed his finger with her eyes to where her clothes were partially covered with straw. Confused, she looked back at him as his mouth started to twitch into a smile. Suddenly it dawned on her. If he was packing her clothes, he was planning to take her with him! She would be able to go with him. Looking back at him she could definitely see the beginnings of laughter. Elated, Adariel ran up to the man and jumped on him. She felt such joy as she had not felt since before her mother's death.

"Well, you can't come unless you promise to listen to me and follow my instructions," he said as he broke away from the child's hug, "That starts with adding your clothes to this bag." Nodding, Adariel scurried over to the corner where she had hid just a little while ago. She scooped up the bundle and placed it neatly on top in the bag before tying it shut for Mithrandir. She was so happy she could almost fly. The old man laughed warmly as she jumped in the air, before telling her that she would upset Lotheg.

Apologizing quietly she stood by the door as the bearded man placed the saddlebags over the horse's withers and attached them to the saddle. Next, he took the bridle from where it had been hanging and approached the mare's head. He slipped the bit into Lotheg's mouth and pulled the headpiece over her ears. Adariel watched impatiently as he did up the straps on the bridle. At last, he brought the reins over her head and, asking Adariel to open the stall door, led his horse out of the stall and into the barn aisle. She followed him and the horse out of the barn and into the courtyard just outside, barely able to contain her excitement.


End file.
